


Blood On Your Shirt

by RoguesCorner



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 13:00:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19107598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoguesCorner/pseuds/RoguesCorner
Summary: The Inquisitor had been gone for four weeks.Four weeks of no communication, not a word or a letter from her to the Commander before she rode back into Skyhold broken, bloody and bruised.





	Blood On Your Shirt

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!
> 
> My first post on here, I've had some Dragon Age fics written for years just laying around on my computer so I figured it was time to say screw it, do some edits and start posting them. Still getting the hang of things so bear with me, anyways uhhhh have some heavy fluff with a dash of angst

Cullen was frantic, to say the least.

It had been four weeks since the small party consisting of Dorian, Cole, Iron Bull and the Inquisitor had left for Emprise Du Lion, a final trip back to the snowy mountainside to flush out the remaining Red Templars. He had expected them to be back days ago, yet had heard nothing. One previous long-running missions he would receive letters, whether it was a progress report, Mavis making promises to him for when she returned, some that made him smile and some that made him blush, but this trip there had been nothing. It was worrying. It wasn’t normal.

So when Cullen saw three horses racing towards the gates, his heart lifted with relief, but only for a second.

The closer they got he realized Dorian was riding with the Inquisitor leaning on his chest, blood soaking through her leather armour. The colour drained from his face. He did not bother excusing himself from the few soldiers he had been in the middle of a briefing, pushing past them and out of his office to meet the party at the gates.

A crowd had gathered, healers and soldiers pushing each other to help the group. Dorian was steading the horse, keeping it in control as Bull carefully took Mavis off the saddle, following two Mages inside the main hall. Cullen’s heart was racing. What had gone wrong? How had it happened? Dorian didn’t even return the horse to the stables, letting someone else take the reins. He ignored the healer's attempts to get him to clean the gash on his forehead and instead shouted for Solas. Cullen ran after the Tevinter man, grabbing his shoulder.

“What happened?” He was trying his hardest to stay professional. His men couldn’t see him worried or panicked. He was in charge, their commander, and if something like the inquisitor being hurt was able to shake him then where would their faith go? Even so, something in his voice must have wavered, because Dorian gave him a tired look.

“Red Templar’s attacked, that was three days ago. Been out of it since. I’ll explain later, but for now, I need to get that hedge mage and a barrel of elf root.”

Without a second to spare, Dorian had lept up the steps into the main hall, following the group that was rushing the Inquisitor to her chambers. Cullen took after him, his composure slowly starting to crumble to his stress.

She would be fine. She was always fine.

Inside her room, Mavis had been laid out on the bed, stripped of her upper armour and left just in her breast band. It was hard to see much else, the room crowded with agents and healers. Mages had made room for Solas to work, given was the most experienced with the healing magic of them all, much to Vivienne's distaste. Iron Bull was no longer there, probably taken to his room to be treated. Before Cullen could get much closer to see her, one of the soldiers who had brought Mavis in stopped him with a hand on his chest, another was ushering Dorian out of the room as he spoke.

“I’m sorry Commander, the Mage says he needs his space to work.”

“Stand down soldier, I wish only to see her.”

“I can’t-”

“Now.” The word came out almost like a growl. The man hesitated, before moving out of his superiors way. Cullen shouldered past him until he was at the foot of the bed. Suddenly he wished he hadn’t forced the man to let him see what was happening.

A large wound has stretched itself from the center of her stomach to her side, and another on her shoulder. His heart was racing as he watched Solas work around the wound, his hands working with the magic to stop the bleeding. It must have reopened when they had brought her inside. Under different circumstances, Cullen might have been jealous to see another man’s hands on her like his usually where. But she was dying, that he knew.

“Heart racing, blood pumping in her ears, the fighting doesn’t stop. Red, so much red. Blood. Lyrium. A cry of pain, for help. It can’t end not like this. I have to see him again. I need to see him again. I have to let him know one more time. Warm, sticky, the smell of iron- then nothing.”

Cole had appeared beside him, the young man making the Commander jump ever so slightly. Mavis. Had he been reading her thoughts? Was she still holding on?

“She is still bright, still there. Don’t worry.”

For once the boy’s ramblings put him at ease.

They had worked on her long into the night almost until morning. Stopping the bleeding, stitching the wounds back together, keeping her from sHe hadn’t left the whole time, even when everyone else emptied out. Eventually, Solas stood, blood covering his hands and tunic.

“That is all I can do. Only she remains to decide her fate.”

Cullen gave Solas a small smile and a thank you as he pulled a chair up to sit next to her in the bed. They had covered her with a blanket to keep her warm, the doors to the balconies close to keep the cold mountain air out. Carefully, he wrapped his hand around hers like any sudden movement and she'd break. Her hands still held some warmth, Maker, he prayed they would stay that way.

His head hung and he took a deep breath, steadying himself. His armour felt heavier on his shoulder than usual, he was exhausted. Glancing from Mavis' hand to her face where her eyes where resting closed, he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Inquisitor-” He sighed “Mavis, love please, I don’t know if you can hear me. People say this works when someone is injured or out cold, that they can hear you.” Andraste save him, what was he trying to say. “They don’t know how bad it is, sitting without any medical attention for several days. They don't know when you will wake up. You’ve heard me say it before, but I love you. I don’t know what my life would be now without you, it’s a thought I can’t even bear to have. All I ask is that you come back to us-to me. Please.”

His breath hitched in his throat again as he looked down at his feet. Moments passed and he began to feel his eyelids get heavy with sleep. He knew his prayer and confession wouldn’t have worked, that was things of plays or novels, not real life. But, it had been worth a try and at this point, he would do anything to make sure she was alive.

Fingers tightened around his hand, and his head shot up.

Mavis’s eyes were half open, a lazy smile on her face. “I thought I would let you finish before interrupting.”

“Maker’s breath you're okay.” He didn’t even let himself think before he had pushed himself off of the chair and pressed his lips against her’s frantically. She snorted with laughter, wrapping her arm around the back of his neck, letting her figures run through his dishevelled hair. His hand rested on her shoulder and she winced. Cullen sat back up, muttering apologies. Mavis just laughed again, her voice strained.

“Maybe hold off on the ‘I’m glad you're alive kiss’?”

This time it was Cullen who laughed “Yes, that might be a good idea.”

Mavis smile softened. Slowly she put a hand to his cheek, rubbing her thumb against his skin.

“You look awful. Have you been up this whole time.”

Cullen put his hand against hers, sighing quietly. “Possibly.”

“You need to sleep.”

“Not until I know for sure you will be okay.”

Mavis rolled her eyes, moving her hand away. She looked over to the other half of her bed which was currently unoccupied, wincing as she did so and fluffed the pillow a little. "Well if you're not leaving, get comfortable at least.”

Cullen raised his eyebrows, confused for a moment. She looked at him, motioning to the bed. Getting the hint he started taking off his armour, laying it next to the bed. Left in just in his pants and cotton shirt, he laid next to her as she had said. His shoulders had relaxed once the heavy furs had been lifted from them, it felt like he could breathe again. Leaning on his side, his head resting on his arm he smiled at the sight of the woman next to him.

Mavis’s short hair was still matted from the ride back. Her face had lost colour and shrunken in from the blood loss, making her cheekbones stand out even more. Even with the heavy bags under them, her eyes were still lit up with that familiar joy she seemed to carry wherever she went. He leaned over, kissing her once more before laying his head on the pillow.

“I love you, you know that right?” She said, still smiling.

“I love you too.”


End file.
